A Perfect World
by MyJourney
Summary: Mario, Luigi, and Peach struggle to make sense of their lives after Bowser's death.
1. Happiness and Sadness

**Disclamier: Don't own any of the Mario Universe!**

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><p><em> The pungent smell of blood ravaged my nostrils…Bowser stood in front of me with a fanatical gleam in his eyes….I couldn't lose…I screamed and punched him….I punched him and punched him and then threw him into the lava…he screamed…but he's still alive…I know he's still alive because I'm still alive. He's still alive because I'm still alive…<em>

Sunlight gently caressed me as I awoke to the familiar melody of chirping birds. Under this great comfort, I fought to open my eyes to full consciousness. Nah, forget it. I was fine right here…I shifted slightly under the embrace of my bed sheets, pleased, and drifted off yet again…

The sound of the front door slamming violently threw me from my dream world. Actually, to be honest I don't even think I had a dream. For some weird reason, my sleeping has turned into a timeless journey through a quiet vacuum. I sat upright, groggily aware of only the drool leisurely streaming down my chin. Panic suddenly crawled up my spine and pierced my heart when I finally noticed…

…Mario was here.

Dear reader, you may be curious to why I'm so afraid of my brother. It's a long and painful story for both of us that I unfortunately remember as if it happened yesterday. I guess that's just the natural effect of a trauma as strong as this….

**XXXXXXX****XXXXX**

Thunder and lightning wrestled around us viciously, as if nature itself was raging over the spectacle that was about to take place.

Bowser had kidnapped the Princess yet again and we had pursued him to the depths of the Koopa Kingdom…again. But there was something different, frighteningly different about this battle. That day I couldn't realize it or define it, but now, almost two years later, I've attained that bloodcurdling knowledge of why that fight turned awry.

It was conviction. A very dreadful conviction. I could still see it now in the eternal, burning gazes of Mario and Bowser. Neither wanted to leave that arena without a complete, indisputable, and total victory.

The Koopa King lunged forward with a fearsome roar, unhindered by the broiling pool of lava below us. Mario raised his fists in a fighting stance and...

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tears clouded my vision and I noticed I was shivering convulsively. Air raced through my arid mouth in sprints. I apologize reader, maybe it's the weakness in me or just the weight of the whole ordeal but I can't finish this right now.

I walked over to my mirror. My steps were slow and pounding across the decaying, wooden floor. For people as famous as the Mario Bros, our house was in pretty bad shape. The doppelganger in my reflection was pale, with eyes half open. Sighing, I mechanically rubbed the thick girth of my moustache. I think I need to shave.

Another slam. Then the sound of glass breaking. Damn it, Mario.

I refused to go down there and talk to him. I can't. He's beyond the point of talking to. I used to feel anger, and then I felt pity. Now I just feel scared and besides that, I don't really feel anything at all. I remember when I first started to suspect that his changes were something worse…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was my first dreamless night. I woke up in the midst of enveloping darkness, accompanied by a sliver of light that struggled through my window. For years or minutes, I lay there unmoving. I didn't breathe, blink, or even think. Honestly, that night I think I died.

A loud and rhythmic cascade of screeching sent a shiver down my spine. I've fought koopas, ghosts, and monsters, but the fear I felt from this fatal cackle instantly drew all the warmth from my body. It sounded close, the kitchen to be exact. I knew I should check it out. I knew I had to be a hero, but I was scared. So scared.

The door to the kitchen obeyed my will and slowly creaked forward. Again, the corrupted symphony of laughter exploded but this time it was closer…more dangerous. My heart raced. My throat ran dry. My arms shook with apprehension. I was not prepared for the demon I was about to face.

Moonlight illuminated the room with an ethereal glow. It almost felt surreal, like I was on Star Way or Rainbow Road. I looked around, everything seemed normal. The fridge lay unopened, the cabinets were untouched. The floor was immaculate. I was almost at ease, but then my eyes fell on a figure that would be forever engraved into my future.

Mario.

He was sitting at the lone table in the corner accompanied by a slew of empty bottles. His back was to me, so I didn't think he noticed my presence. A bottle half-filled with an opaque liquid hung loosely in his hand.

"Bro…? You ok?" I asked, stepping forward. My voice sounded self-consciously high. Obviously, he took Bowser's death harder than any of us. I knew it, Peach knew it, and all of the Mushroom Kingdom knew it. We all knew how this grief was crushing him.

Its funny how Mario was always able to help us, but we're powerless to help him during his darkest times. Maybe he was always destined to stand alone in the end...

"Mario…?" I softly called out.

He raised the bottle to his lips and gulped voraciously. "Mario…Mario?" He mocked me without even turning around. "Who is Mario?"

Annoyed, I asked "What are you talking about?"

"You dumbass," I recoiled at the strong language. I never heard my brother speak this way before. "You ignorant fool!" He stood up and threw the bottle on the floor. It smashed into several pieces, splattering an explicit substance all around us.

I didn't know what to do. I was confused and scared so, out of habit, I just called his name again. Enraged, he turned around and leaped on top of me. I remember the weight of his hands around my throat. I remember the grinding of his teeth. Most of all, I remember the juxtaposition of colors in his face and the wild look in his eye. At this point, I couldn't tell him from a crazed goomba.

"Who am I? Tell me Luigi, who am I?" He screamed. When I didn't answer, he shook me ferociously. "Am I a just a plumber? Am I just a man?"

"I…I don't know." I was half choking and half sobbing. That probably wasn't the right answer, but I didn't know what was. I was so scared and confused.

Suddenly, he released his grip around my neck. Without looking at me, he sobbed. "My God! Oh my God! What's going to happen to me?"

I cried too. The quiet night air of the Mushroom Kingdom was pregnant with our grieving.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Lying on my bed, I stared at the ceiling fan. It became a new hobby of mine since I started the practice of confining myself to my room. I was safe here. I hoped.

That ceiling fan though, it was always there. It never moved from its spot or spun when I didn't want it to. It made me feel good. Sometimes, I wish people were like ceiling fans.

Yet another slam. This one was louder than the previous ones. I really wish people were like ceiling fans.

_ I dreamed I saw Peach today…I lay next to her and she looked at me with such sad eyes…I wonder when was the last time I stroked her hair…she's a nice girl…but I can't stop…I must fight…Bowser is still alive…He's everywhere..._

**Peach**

My head always seemed to fit perfectly into his chest. I was content against the warmth of his heartbeat. That would never change, even if the world ended. Half-awake, I tried to express my happiness in some way. Maybe a kiss or an "I love you." My feelings bubbled in my abdomen and surged up my throat and I…I…

I purred. Yes, like a cat I purred. I don't know why. It was really weird and I never done it before. Unsure of how to react, I laughed.

I expected Mario's hearty laughter to join in, but I remained alone. Even though we embraced each other under thick bed sheets, I felt oddly cold. Maybe I was coming down with something. Clenching onto my knight in shining armor, I buried my head deeper into his chest. A grunt was forced out of him.

"So it's been over a year huh?" I whispered. I wanted to hear his voice. I needed to hear it to be closer to him. He put a finger to my lips and shushed me. Angrily, I raised my head and glared at him. It was always like this. Why didn't he want to talk? "Please, Mario…let me help you…"

He didn't even look at me. He never looked at me anymore. Was I unattractive? Did his love for me fade? Did he even love me to begin with?

Sitting up, I blinked back a warm wetness. "Why are even you here?" I asked shakily.

Mario propped himself up on two thick forearms. Finally, his enticing blue eyes fell on me. A minute pang of satisfaction flew through me. "I don't know," his voice was sharp like a blade.

I felt my face fall. What did that mean? I spent so much time, so many years, trying to reach this point with you…My head started spinning. The room got blurry. I didn't know what to hang onto in this sea of chaos so I just put my hands around Mario's face. He gave me a stoic gaze.

"I love you," came out of my mouth before I even realized it. Looking back at it now, I guess I was desperate. I don't know exactly when it happened (maybe after he rescued me from the X-Nauts and the Shadow Queen?) but he became my everything. He was my happiness and my strength. He owned me. How could he dare leave me?

But he did. He gripped my hands firmly and stared me down. I cowered under his dominating glare and obediently submitted. I'm still his until the bitter end.

All I remember after that is becoming really short of breath. No matter how hard I inhaled, I just couldn't catch enough air. The last image I saw was the door closing behind Mario before darkness overcame my vision.

I'm still yours until the bitter end...My pain, my insanity, My Mario...

_I'm back home…Bowser is waiting…I see him in the kitchen…I smash the dishes…I break the chairs…that's where he's hiding…He's hiding in Luigi…He's hiding in Peach too…I must defeat Bowser…He's still alive because I'm alive…_

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><p><strong>Let me know what you think of it so far! I welcome critique and criticism!<strong>


	2. Sin and Purity

**Disclaimer: Still don't own NOTHING! That's right, I used a double negative! Holla at me!**

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><p><em>Oh God, another one. Why can't I stop myself? Bowser, why did you do this to me? Come back...Please come back...I see you everywhere but you're nowhere. Please come back...so I can fight you again. I need more...I need to be more...<em>

"That Mario…Princess, you really need to let him go. For the good of the Mushroom Kingdom, you-"

"Hush," I pressed my hand to my forehead to soothe a growing migraine. After my fainting spell, Toadsworth forced me to recline on a large sofa in the foyer. He proceeded to fan me while he berated my love. It made my skin prick with annoyance. What could this fool know about the warm yet delicate, powerful yet supernatural force of romance? What could he know about this godly addiction, its incomparable euphoria and its devastating withdrawals?

"Princess…" He said so quietly I could've thought he was talking to himself. Even when he whispered, his voice sounded old and rough. Age flaunted its victory over him with a growing cornucopia of wrinkles and steadily slowing movements. What if he died tomorrow? I closed my eyes and played with the thought, releasing all the tension from my body.

Would I cry? Would I even feel sad? I would…of course…I know I'd certainly cry for Mario. I always wail for Mario. But, really, when had Toadsworth gotten so old? I can't believe I never noticed his time passing before us. No, I guess I never really had a chance…A chuckle escaped my lips. It wasn't really funny, it was actually very sad, but I think that's exactly where the humor is.

Sternly, Toadsworth asked what I found so funny. I couldn't really explain it and I didn't feel like telling him anyway. For a long time, I lay still under the steady, mechanical motion of my servant's fanning. Everything was falling apart and the threat of eternal solitude briefly arrested me. I was afraid and I wanted to cry, but my eyes were stone.

"Do you remember…do you remember when you were a little girl and I used to carry you on my back all around Toad Town?" He asked with a hint of a smile.

I sifted through the dark, obscure mist that had become my memory. When I reached the end, the cliff of my consciousness, I realized I couldn't recall that moment. I felt…well, I felt numb really. It was a sensation I was accustomed to in Mario's absence. Laconically, I responded to my caretaker that I don't remember.

In silence, he continued fanning me. His tiny beady eyes stared above me, engaging an imperceptible target. It all irked me. This whole scene just really pissed me off for some reason. I wanted it all to disappear but I didn't want it to leave me. It's a hard feeling to describe in words. "Toadsworth, stop." I commanded, deadpan.

He ignored me.

"Toadsworth, stop fanning me!" I yelled. Instantly, the large leaf-shaped object he was holding fell to the floor. He stared at me with a mix of feelings I couldn't interpret, but there was one I knew for sure: anger.

"Listen," the Toad pointed his finger toward me accusingly, "I've been a diligent aid to the Toadstool family for decades and I refuse to have it collapse because your romance with some crazy, overweight plumber!"

Rage surged through my body, animating my bones and strengthening weary muscles. Suddenly, my face was only centimeters away from Toadsworth. "Don't you dare talk about Mario that way."

"Princess! Get a grip on yourself! He's gone beyond the point of no return and he's taking you with him! Look at yourself!"

It's true my dresses didn't fit as well and maybe I have to apply more makeup to cover the bags under my eyes but I was still the same Peach I always was. Wasn't I?

"Think about the kingdom," He pleaded, "Think about your loyal subjects!"

Regardless, I didn't need some has-been aide to question my identity or my love. Definitely not. I showed him what the point of no return really was. I cocked an arm back and laid a slap right across his face. The recoil against my wrist was strangely pleasing. My cheeks rose but I couldn't say I was smiling.

With specks of blood dribbling from his dry mouth, Toadsworth looked up at me bewildered. It was the first time I ever hit him. His gaze…his eyes were so bright. I knew he was hurt. This time, I was fully self-conscious of my smile and a low growling that seethed between my teeth.

Maybe I was far beyond the border of reason, maybe I was even in Hell but it didn't matter. If Mario would venture through the jungles of insanity, I would gladly join him! Every day, I felt myself steadily getting closer. But they didn't know…they didn't know what true death is, that feared _point of no return_.

It is loneliness! Not having someone to reach to for support and sustenance! We're social creatures! We need contact and unconditional love to survive! And why…why would I forsake the one who loves me the most?

I need to see Mario.

**Luigi**

I hurriedly threw the last slice of cheddar onto my sandwich. Mario might be back soon, and I wouldn't-_I just couldn't_ confront him. He was too mad…too dangerous. So I was reduced to scurrying through my own kitchen like a rat. It's a living, I convinced myself, it's a living.

Once back in my sanctuary, I sat on my bed. My sandwich became suddenly unappealing. I couldn't even remember…when was the last time I had a hamburger? Or some fries? Or-my favorite- a mushroom shake?

My stomach moaned loudly in response to my queries. I clenched it while futilely putting a finger to my lips. Just bear it.

For Mario, I was always bearing the brunt of something (the humiliation, the suffering, everything except the glory). Eventually, I just got used to being a supporting character in the story of the red-capped plumber. Everyone noticed it. That man just has an unusual talent to command attention and fame single-handedly. It was always his greatest asset.

And what was mine? Fear, cowardice, weakness. Reader, you already know it. I'm sure you're familiar with my adventures through that dreaded mansion…when we toured the BeanBean Kingdom…when we sped through the galaxy…Those were our golden days, but even during those glorious times I was still just a shadow to the brilliant flame that is Mario.

Fate. It was a malicious and cruel invention, a thread that bound all of us together through our own vulnerability. Who had the heart to create such a ridiculous contraption? A video game company could have probably created something better. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. When did I become so philosophical? It was probably when…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They were isolated on a sole platform that levitated dangerously close to the boiling lava. The Koopa King skewered my sibling with his hardened claws, but Mario refused to submit. He countered with a flurry of punches.

I watched in horror as the blood spurt from his body, seemingly in quarts. Please stop, Mario. You're going to die! But I was powerless to intervene, as usual. I felt like a tiny moon orbiting around the collision of two gargantuan planets.

It happened so quick…I didn't even see it…or maybe it's a memory forever confined to the bowels of my unconscious…but Bowser…he fell from the platform and…well…

There was a loud, high screech that rang in my ears…my heart was beating at near supersonic speeds…I never heard Bowser make that kind of sound before…he held a hand outstretched toward Mario…

Then he was gone without a trace.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was first death I had ever witnessed. Most likely, it was the same for Mario but conversely for my brother it was also the first time he killed. The forbidden fruit of knowledge was cogently ingested by all of us through the death of Bowser. Heaven, and all possibility of it, subsequently left us.

_You've hid from me well, Bowser but I know exactly where you are now...I'll find you and then we'll fight and then I won't just be a plumber anymore...I won't just be a man anymore. I refuse to live any other life...and now we'll fight together. Forever..._

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><p><strong>AN: ****Sorry about the text at the top, I didn't know how to darken the font...anyway, thanks for the reviews so far! Please keep them coming! And Verran, I definitely see your points but I want to keep Luigi and Peach's POV's distinctly separated because I want to make sure every reader knows the divide between the characters. And Luigi breaking the fourth wall is to establish a connection with him and the audience. I specifically want the readers to identify with him for a special reason...**


	3. Life and Death

**Disclaimer: Still no tengo nada**

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><p><em>I know now what I must do...If I'm still breathing, I know you are too...I know what I have to do...<em>

**Luigi**

The sandwich squirmed and writhed between my trembling fingers. In that moment, I felt a strong bond of empathy to my brother. If it affects me this much to retell the story…what's it like to have actually _lived it_? I'd probably have turned out the same way, or even worse, if I carried his burden.

I didn't have much time to ponder the thought before a juxtaposition of screams reached my window causing my body to immediately become rigid. Usually, I-we were called to action by this kind of signal but it's been such a long time, and I've been so scared. I was a broken weapon, useless now more so than ever.

Maybe I was hallucinating…maybe I could ignore it… but there it was again! This time _louder _and _closer_! My body quivered and shook horribly; the sandwich fell to the floor with a soft _plop!_

What would I do now? Especially if it's-cause I knew it had to be- Mario.

I can't- I can't fight him! I can't defeat him; I can't stop his terror! I'm powerless. I'd just become more fuel for the flame.

Their shrieks rampaged through my thoughts. I tried to block it out. I tried so hard. I beat my ears against the floor until they were sensitive and swollen, but the clamor still continued. Reader, do you see? Do you truly see? This is the pain of a protector. This is the tragedy of a "man of the people." It's a curse called _action._ It doesn't just follow us until the adventure's end. It's a fallen angel who mocks and tortures us until our games are over.

With wet eyes, I rose. Ignoring their cries was a useless struggle. I may not be a superhero or an idol, but I am a guardian of the Mushroom Kingdom. A familiar exhilaration started to pulse through me. It was the nervous excitement of danger that I had long forgotten.

What am I getting myself into?

**Peach**

"Mario…what are you doing?"

I remember when rumors spread of him going into the forest and decapitating Koopas. I rejected them as lies. We all wanted to believe it was false. We all wanted to hold onto that childish innocence that he was still our hero. But who…_who _could dream in this world of death and loss? I closed my eyes and let the warm, salty streams freely run.

"Princess, look out!" A Toad said as he knocked me out of the way of an incoming fireball. The heat and intensity of the fire was so intimidating. So this was what it's like to be Mario's enemy. It was so frightening but at the same time, the amount of passion in his assault was extraordinarily more than anything I could muster.

Paralyzed, I lay on the ground and watched the scene unfold in front of me. My love, my life was destroying Toad Town. His fireballs sporadically attacked both houses and citizens. Their yells and pleas...the ones of my people…rose to an intolerable pitch and then slowly dulled until I couldn't hear it. I couldn't hear anything!

Another Toad yelled something at me, but I couldn't catch it. With wobbling arms, I pushed him away as he attempted to carry me from danger. I didn't know what to do, but staying with Mario until the end just seemed…it just seemed right.

A fireball barely missed incinerating me by inches but it didn't bring any vigor into my unfeeling corpse. I was powerless to do anything but watch the collapse of my kingdom and Mario.

My head jerked up and down. It took me quite some time to realizing I was yelling, shouting at the top of my lungs toward Mario, but (between you and me, reader) I could only scarcely feel the throbbing in my throat. I was already completely detached from this existence.

Two more Toads risked their lives to come rescue me. They're so annoying. They are so wonderfully annoying…I pushed and punched with my decaying strength. Go away. Go away! I chose my path! Please leave me alone! But thank you…thank you so much for loving me! Thank you for filling this gap in my heart! Thank you!

Finally, they relented and ran in the face of an incoming fireball. It bounced across the ground so gracefully, a vivacious spark of divine art. It reminded me of the older days…even those days when Toadsworth carried me around town. I could remember it all clearly.

The flames didn't even burn. Truthfully, it didn't hurt at all. My vision gradually faded into the darkness. I tried to summon a smile with the last push of my life. This was the first time I've been happy.

This was the first time since that fateful day that I've been truly happy.

**Luigi**

The situation had already dissolved into pure chaos as soon as I arrived. Toads were running around, avoiding pools of fire…houses were collapsing…what a horrible scene. It bloated my stomach with nausea. And in the midst of it all stood Mario, throwing his signature projectiles indiscriminately.

Back in our happier days, he used to tell me that before every final battle there's a halt. It's like a pregnant pause where the hero and villain stare each other down. I always thought it was just where they gather their thoughts and motivate themselves for the war ahead. Mario disagreed.

He told me that whenever he looks into Bowser's eyes, he sees a part of himself. In the Koopa King's hatred and sadness, he sees his own anger and despair. I asked him how's that possible. For the longest time he sat still before answering:

"Luigi, good and evil are only two sides of the same coin."

I narrowly avoided a fireball. Maybe my old skills haven't completely turned to dust yet. Hopping around to gain a better position, I landed near a pile of ash and pink fabric. Looking at the mess sent an odd chill up my spine, but I quickly dismissed it. My brother's assault was still continuing at a near super-human speed. How could he not be tired? He was truly a caliber above all of us.

But I tried to look into his eyes. This was probably the most idiotic time to do it, but I wanted to. I wanted to feel that link between us so I could finally be at ease. So I could finally destroy him.

Opaque blue eyes flashed and glimmered. He was moving so quickly and erratically, but it was obvious even to me. He simply wasn't there anymore. The man known as Mario Mario ceased to exist.

I had to confirm it so I (as I usually did in dire times) called out his name. Not once, not twice, but three times. It failed to reach him; he mechanically pushed forward with his offensive.

As I prepped my fireball, sympathy gripped me again. My sibling wasn't the only victim of a lost identity. Gradually, but steadily, the abyss encroached all of our lives. And then we were gone (speaking of that, where's Peach in all this commotion?).

And I threw the fireball realizing that we'll never come back. We all died in pursuit of a world without conflict, strife, and Bowser. We were all killed in pursuit of a perfect world.

Mario embraced the flames silently. Even in his dying moments, he stood over us with godlike pride and dignity. I was so amazed I was brought to tears. There was no cry, scream, or even grunt as his life ebbed away.

The remains were swept and scattered by a gentle breeze.

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><p><strong>And that's all folks! I'm thinking I may write an epilogue but for now A Perfect World is finished. Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate all input!<strong>


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